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Star duo return as France name 31-man team for England
By Ian Cameron
Romain Ntamack and Virimi Vakatawa are the big-name returnees as France named their 31-man training squad ahead of their Guinness Six Nations match with England next weekend. Hooker Camille Chat also returns to the squad after an injury layoff.
Arthur Vincent and Louis Carbonel are notable absentees, as well as Gabin Villiere who will undergo surgery for a hand injury sustained in the Top 14.
Giant tighthead Uini Atonio is also missing from the squad and - according to Rugby Rama - is said to still be dealing with the virus. 130kg Castres prop Wilfrid Hounkpatin has been named as his replacement.
Ntamack and Vakatawa were both injured prior to the tournament, which saw them miss the first three rounds. Their return is a welcome boost to Fabien Galthie's France, who has been rocked by positive C-19 tests and a scandal around what led to the outbreak in the camp.
Over half of the squad tested positive for the virus and as a result, their Round Three clash with Scotland was officially postponed, with head coach Galthie being identified as a 'patient zero'. The ebullient Frenchman left the camp bubble to watch his son play a match, a decision that ultimately led to half the squad and members of the staff testing positive for the virus.
A meeting last Friday morning between French Rugby Federation president Bernard Laporte, education minister Jean-Michel Blanquer and sports minister Roxana Maracineanu resulted in the championship favourites being given the green light to continue playing in a season where away wins over Italy and Ireland were followed by the postponement of their home game with Scotland.
Maracineanu had threatened to withdraw France because of the outbreak which saw twelve players and four backroom staff, including head coach Fabien Galthie, test positive for Covid-19, forcing the postponement of last Sunday’s round three Stade de France match against the Scots.
- additional reporting PA
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Latest Comments
My ‘fantasy’ team V Ireland,
Including options from ABXV if needed, as V Mun better V Ireland better prep than England.
The most important aspect V Ireland is AB need ALL their loosies AND 'loosie capable locks' on ALL match [except IF(?) any tiring ie the aging & slowing eg Cane]. As follows,
{starting} bench (3rd choice)
1 {De Groot} / Tu’ungafasi (Williams)
2 { anyone that can throw!! }/ Aumua (Brodie McAlister)
Ryan! coach lineouts & Aumua to throw!
3 {Lomax}/ Tosi (Newell )
Tosi immense strength V England
4,5 Locks { P.Tuipulotu, S.Barrett }, Vaa’i, Darry
( Isaia Walker-Leawere)
Vaa’i off V Eng. Assumed due to leg injury(?)
6,7,8 Loose forwards { Sititi, A.Savea, Cane } Vaa’i, S.Barrettm, P.Tuipulotu back up (Devan Flanders, Du'Plessis Kirifi )
9 {Roigard } Ratima ( TJ )
10 {D.McK} Perofeta ( Plummer)
12 {J.Barrett } ALB ( Q.Tupaea )
13 {Proctor} Ioane ( AJ Lam )
Ioane (off V England ) but Irish experience (NO not Sexton!)
14 { Tele’a} Reece (bkup W.Jordan )
11 {C.Clarke} Narawa (K.Naholo)
15 {W.Jordan} Love (Stevenson)
Go to commentsI guess the other option would be to start ALB, he's looked good in the 12 so far when he starts and sets up those outside him. But that would mean putting the vice captain on the bench, which is unlikely. Another option would be to drop Reiko to the bench and play Proctor, though he's gone home so that's not going to happen either.
Both of those players just offer more of the soft distribution skills good centres learn from playing their careers there. Unfortunately that's what's lacking with the current combo.
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